Family and friends of Lynette Volschenk, whose dismembered body was found stashed in plastic bags in her Bellville flat, face an agonising wait for answers to the pressing questions around her death.
Kyle Ruiters, 24, who has been charged with the murder of the 32-year-old woman, appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday August 26.
The case was postponed to Monday September 2 for further investigation, and Mr Ruiters was remanded in police custody.
Bellville police spokesman Captain Johnnathan Blankenberg would not be drawn on details surrounding the case, but according to reports in other publications Mr Ruiters lived in a floor below Ms Volschenk on the 9th floor of the Seesig flats.
Last Thursday, colleagues of Ms Volschenk from Lyners Consulting Engineers and Project Managers, where she worked as a draughtsman, went looking for her after she failed to pitch up for work.
Upon entering her flat, the colleagues allegedly came across Mr Reuters, who was wearing blue rubber gloves and told them that Ms Volschenk had hired him to paint the walls.
The colleagues then searched the flat and found black bags with Ms Volschenk’s body parts in them.
They called the police who arrested Mr Reuters.
Captain Blankenberg said: “The police were called to the scene after 10am and after getting information from the victim’s colleagues, an arrest was made at about 11am. The suspect was found walking around close to the flat.”
As Mr Reuters approached the court from his holding cell on Monday, a member of Ms Volschenk’s family swore at him while members of the group called “SA Women Fight Back” held up placards outside.
The group also drew up a Facebook petition demanding that Mr Reuters not get bail.
Prosecutor Lulama Qunta told the court that Mr Reuters would be kept in custody at the holding cells of Bellville police station until September 2. And she also confirmed that he had a fixed address and no criminal record.
Seesig Flats residents who spoke to Northern News did not want their names published but said they had heard noises from Ms Volschenk’s flat on Wednesday night.
One of them said the noises had sounded like furniture being moved around.
In May, another murder took place in Tafelsig Flats, which is right next to Seesig Flats.
Anthony Marais, 65, was found tied up to a chair in front of his television.
Captain Blankenberg said police were still investigating that murder but had ruled out any link between it and Ms Volschenk’s death.
“One of the first things the investigators established was that the two murders were not connected in any way. They are both tragic but separate incidents. Housebreak-ins are on the increase in Bellville, and residents are asked to please be vigilant about keeping their homes and premises safe.”